Atondido Stories
“Well,” shouted Yezibaba’s son, “why don’t you eat? Doesn’t
the dumpling taste good?”
“Oh, yes, very good,” said the prince, politely, “but just now
I’m not hungry.”
“Well, if you’re not hungry now you will be later. Put a few
in your pocket and eat them on your journey.”
So, whether he wanted them or not, the prince had to put some
leaden dumplings into his pocket. Then he took his leave of
Yezibaba and her son and traveled on.
He went on and on for three days and three nights. The far-
ther he went, the more inhospitable became the country. Before
him stretched a waste of mountains, behind him a waste of
mountains with no living creature in sight.
Wearied with his long journey, he threw himself on the
ground. His silver sword clanked sharply and at its sound twen-
ty-four ravens circled above him, cawed in fright, and flew
away.
“A good sign!” cried the prince. “I’ll follow the ravens again!”
So on he went as fast as his legs could carry him until he
came in sight of a tall castle. It was still far away, but even at that
distance it shone and flashed, for it was built of pure silver.
In front of the castle stood an old woman, bent with age, and
leaning on a long silver staff. This was the second Yezibaba.
“Yi, yi, my boy!” she cried. “How did you get here? Why, not
even a little bird or a tiny butterfly comes here, much less a hu-
man being. You’d better escape if life is dear to you, or my son,
when he comes home, will eat you!”
“No, no, old mother, he won’t eat me. I bring greetings from
his brother of the Leaden Castle.”
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